


Stepping Stones

by orphan_account



Category: Glee
Genre: Boys Kissing on Tables, David Tennant - Freeform, Domestic, Ficlet, Implied Sexual Content, Interns - Freeform, M/M, Marshmallows, Pets, Prom, Siblings, Skinny Dipping, body image issues, doctor who - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-14
Updated: 2014-06-14
Packaged: 2018-02-04 14:19:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 6,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1782130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A glimpse into the lives of the Dalton Academy Warblers. They have their ups and downs, but that's what growing up is all about. Taken from my one word prompt series on Tumblr. Features Huntbastian, Niff, Wevid, Thes, and Jeffbastian. Rating may vary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. At the Time (Huntbastian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian makes a bet.

Sebastian lets out a groan, curling up against Hunter’s side miserably. When he gets better, he’s going to  _kill Thad_. This is all his fault. If he hadn’t had said anything, Sebastian probably wouldn’t have gotten so sick. Hunter thinks he has pneumonia; Sebastian thinks he’s dying because it sure as hell feels like it. _  
_

"You okay, Seb?" Hunter asks, stroking his boyfriend’s flushed cheek affectionately. "You need me to get you anything?"

Sebastian shakes his head, wincing as the throbbing in his temples worsen. Hunter makes a sympathetic sound and presses a kiss against his forehead.

"Why would you listen to Thad?" he reprimands softly. "I love him to death, but sometimes, he has the stupidest ideas."

"It sounded like a good idea at the time," Sebastian says meekly. "You know how competitive I can get."

"You have no idea how scared I was," Hunter whispers. "You could have died. If Jeff hadn’t have found you when he did……"

His voice cracks, the first sign that the walls he’s built around himself are beginning to fall. Sebastian tries his best to comfort him, to tell him that  _he’s still there_. Hunter nestles his head into the crook of Sebastian’s neck, his tears hot against feverish skin. _  
_

"I know, it was stupid. Please stop crying, Hunt. I hate it when you’re upset," Sebastian murmurs. "I’m still here; _it’s okay_.”

Hunter looks up to give him a watery smile, “I know.”

The tears leave as quickly as they arrive; it’s not long until Hunter’s smiling again.

"How come I’m the one doing the comforting? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? I mean, I’m the one stuck in bed."  
  


"Sorry, it’s hard to have sympathy for someone stupid enough to skinny dip when it’s below twenty degrees outside."

"………Shut up, it was Thad’s idea."


	2. First Time (Huntbastian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after.

> ****

It starts with a kiss. It's desperate and needy, messy and awkward - not at all like  the staged kisses you see movies. Calloused hands rest on slender hips, bruising the delicate skin. Musician's fingers thread through gel-slicked hair, tugging gently at the darkened strands.

"You sure you want to go through with this?" Hunter murmurs, breaking the kiss. "We don't have to if you don't want to."

Sebastian rolls his eyes, "Seriously?" He gives the younger brunet an once-over. "You're hot, I'm hot - why wouldn't I want this?"

He begins to kiss his way down the sensitive skin of Hunter's throat, leaving the occasional bruise ever so often. Once Sebastian reaches the junction where neck and shoulder meet, he laves his tongue across the skin before biting down  _hard_. Hunter gasps softly, a full-bodied shudder travelling down his spine.

"Your reasoning is astounding," he manages, voice shaky. "It's nice to know you want me for my intellectual prowess and charismatic qualities."

"I have no idea what you just said, but it sounded hot." Sebastian kisses him again. This time, he doesn't hold back. The kiss is dirty, all tongue and full of need. "If you're coherent enough to come up with  _that_ , then I obviously need to step up my game."

Hunter chuckles, "Speak for yourself, Sebastian." He changes their position so that the taller brunet's trapped against the wall, hands pinned above his head and a thigh between his legs. "I haven't even gotten started yet. When I'm done with you, you're not going to remember your own name."

"Is that a challenge?" Sebastian asks, a small smirk spreading across his face. "Because I enjoya good challenge."

"Do you now?" replies Hunter. "Well, you're absolutely going to  _love_ this." He leans forward to nip at his boyfriend's earlobe. "Let the games begin."

\------

The next morning, Hunter wakes up to the sound of his alarm. It's almost six; he should probably get ready for his early morning run. Sebastian is pressed up against his side, head buried in his chest. He makes a sleepy noise of protest when Hunter moves, upset by the sudden lack of warmth. 

"..Wha?" Sebastian mutters as he blinks blearily at his boyfriend. "Where're you goin'?"

"I'm going to run some laps," Hunter says. "Go back to sleep." He leans down to press a brief kiss to the taller brunet's cheek before getting change. "I'll be back in a little bit."

Hunter comes back to the dorm an hour later, sweaty and flushed. He finds Sebastian exactly where he left him, curled up underneath the comforter with a pillow clutched to his chest. Rolling his eyes fondly, Hunter grabs a change of clothes and takes a quick shower.

When he gets out, it's almost eight. Warbler rehearsal is at nine-thirty, and Sebastian's still in bed. Knowing his boyfriend, it'll probably take him most of the hour to shower and dress. The rest of their time will be spent in the cafeteria, eating breakfast.

"Hell _oooo_?" Hunter prods a bony shoulder, which the senior promptly ignores. "Good morning?"

Sebastian groans, shying away from his touch. He mutters something under his breath before pulling the covers closer.

"Sebas _tian_!" Hunter croons obnoxiously, reaching over to tug on his boyfriend's earlobe gently. Sebastian's breath hitches, cracking open an eye to glare at him irritably. "It's time to get up."

"Go away," Sebastian whines. "Can't move. Everything hurts." As if to prove his point, he rolls onto his side and almost immediately lets out a pained whimper. "Sore."

"I didn't hurt you last night, did I?" Hunter's mother hen instincts begin to kick in, all thoughts other than his boyfriend's well-being forgotten. "You've got tell me if I'm being too rough, alright?"

Sebastian laughs at this, "Don't flatter yourself, Clarington. You didn't hurt me; I've had worse. It's just been a while."

"You know, for a second, you have me worried. Now I know you're fine because you're being your usual sarcastic, smart-ass self."

"Aww, he thinks I'm smart!"

"So, I'm taking it that you're skipping out on Warbler rehearsal?"

"What do you think?" Sebastian deadpans. "I can barely move because  _someone_  decided to have  _fantastic_ , mindblowing sex last night and tear my ass up."

"I'm sorry," Hunter crawls under the covers to pull his boyfriend into his arms. "Want me to make it up to you?"

"Later," he yawns. "Sleep first, apology sex later." He curls up in the younger brunet's embrace, already half-asleep. "Love you, Hunter."

"I love you too, Sebastian."


	3. Huntbastian (Prom)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prom is so overrated.

****

You know how people are always going on and on about how prom's one of the most important events in your high school career? Yeah, they lied. Sebastian's sitting at a table, dressed in a tuxedo, all by himself. His date - and by that, he means the ditzy cheerleader from Crawford Day - went off with some guy. Plus, the food sucks ass. To make a long story short, Sebastian's absolutely miserable. At least at Scandals, he could drown his misery in alcohol. Here, he's forced to drink  _punch_. 

Sebastian doesn't understand what's so amazing about prom. It's just like any other school dance: boring and expensive as hell. What's the point of spending three digit figures on a single night? Buying clothes you'll probably only wear once, getting a corsage that'll eventually fall apart - and what for? A night that won't even matter in the long run.

The only reason he's here is because he's expected to. As captain of the lacrosse team, he has an image to maintain or something like that. Sebastian wouldn't know; he wasn't paying attention when Coach Beckham was explaining the whole thing. All he knows is that he's supposed to be here, at prom, with - shit, he can't even remember her name. 

"You look like you're having fun," comments a familiar voice. Sebastian doesn't have to look up to know that it's Hunter; he thought he smelt self-righteous bastard. "Where's Helena?"

"Who?" Sebastian blinks, unsure of who he's talking about. "Oh, her. I don't know; I'm not her keeper."

If anything, the smirk on Hunter's widens. Sebastian wants nothing more than to wipe that smug look on his face. Hunter  _knows_  he's been dreading this day all week.

"Why am I not surprised?" 

He's just messing with you, Sebastian reminds himself. This is your boyfriend. Your douchey, lovable boyfriend. You love him.

"Hey Hunter, your jackass is showing." 

"Don't you mean my good looks and charming personality?" Hunter gives him a winning smile.

Sebastian rolls his eyes, "You are so conceited, Hunter."

"But you love me anyway," he winks. "Want to dance?" Hunter holds his hand out to his boyfriend. "The next song's a slow dance."

Sebastian pulls a face, but allows himself to be led onto the dance floor. He rests his hands on Hunter's shoulders, shivering when Hunter puts his hand on the small of his back. Their peers are staring; Sebastian can feel the red-hot burn of their gaze on his back.

"They're staring," he murmurs. 

"Let them stare." Hunter pulls Sebastian closer, leaning forward to kiss him on the mouth. "This is our moment."


	4. Pets (Niff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeff and Nick catsit for Hunter and Sebastian while they're out.

Hunter and Sebastian have serious separation anxiety; Nick decides after receiving the twelfth text in the last hour. It's not without reason though. This is the first time they've been away from Sienna, and it's blatantly obvious that they're taking it hard. Sienna is Hunter's nine week old kitten. She's a calico, white with splashes of black and brown here and there. She's also incredibly small, weighing less than two pounds and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Don't underestimate her though. For something so small, Sienna definitely packs a punch. She's probably scratched Nick seven or eight times since he walked into the dorm. He suspects she somehow learned it from Sebastian because for a guy, the dude's got some sharp ass nails. Those things hurt.

Jeff's curled up on his bed, talking quietly to the kitten. He's stroking the top of her head, smiling as she leans in the touch. Nick's not surprised; he hasn't met a person - or in this case, animal - yet that doesn't like the cheerful blond.

"What's your secret?" he asks, sliding beside his boyfriend. "How come she doesn't bite you?"

"I don't know," Jeff shrugs. "Maybe it's because I'm awesome?" As if to prove his point, Sienna lets out a loud purr. "See? She agrees with me."

"I can't even touch her without getting my face clawed off. Watch!" Nick tries to pet the kitten, only to have his hand batted away with an angry hiss. "What did I do?"

"Who do you think I am? The cat whisperer?" the blond laughs. "Maybe she thinks you're a mouse. With that haircut, you definitely looks like one."

Sienna makes a sound not unlike a snicker. Nick shoots her a dirty look, and she scampers off.

"......That was hurtful and completely uncalled for," he says after a momentary pause. "I need a hug."

"Awww!" Jeff pulls Nick into his arms, rearranging him so that he's sitting comfortably in his lap. "I'm sorry, Nicky."

"And a kiss?"

"Of course. Do you forgive me now?"

"I don't know. I think you need to convince me."

"Well, if you insist....."

"Oww! What was that for, Sienna?"

"Mew?"

"Jeff, I think we just got cockblocked by a cat."

"Never thought I'd hear that. So, where were we?"


	5. Manchester Intern (Huntbastian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter still doesn't understand what's so great about Mr. Campbell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crack fic inspired by Little Huntbastian Things on Tumblr. Not my best work, but this is what I came up with. Features jealous Hunter and a British intern whose appearance is suspiciously similar to that of David Tennant (completely unintentional. I've been watching a lot of Doctor Who lately, and it's been messing with my brain. I mean, the description of the intern is still pretty generic, but whatever. I'm not sorry; David Tennant's a very attractive Scot. Subconscious wants what the subconscious wants. Okay, I'm rambling. Shutting up now).

****

Riley Campbell seems nice enough, but there's just something about him that rubs Hunter the wrong way. Maybe it's the way that everyone - and by that he means Jeff, Nick, and a couple other choice students - cling to his every word and go out of their way to talk to him. It's probably because, for a man well in his early thirties, Mr. Campbell is pretty. He's a handsome man, tall and slim with pale skin, dark hair, and brown eyes. What  _really_  seals the deal is the fact that Mr. Campbell is from England, and Hunter would be damned before he admitted that his accent is  _very_ attractive. 

But back the point, the reason _why_ Mr. Campbell ruffles Hunter's feathers is how he's one of those people who are natural flirts. It seems like he flirts with  _everyone._ He probably doesn't mean any harm; it's just his way of interacting - but  _still,_ flirting with Hunter's boyfriend is  _so_ not cool.a

Okay, it wasn't really flirting as much as it was a teacher (well, in this case, intern) trying to assist a struggling student. But you've got to understand, it was a  _personal_ tutoring session that Mr. Campbell had offered. Hunter had been offering to help Sebastian with Algebra 2 for months and had been turned down, but when some British intern from Manchester offers, he says yes? That's unfair.

So, Hunter does the only thing he can think of: he calls immigration on Mr. Campbell's ass. Call him a terrible person if you will, but it's not like the man's going to get in trouble. They'll probably do some background work, check some papers, but Mr. Campbell will get out relatively unscathed. At least Hunter hopes so. He'd hate to be the reason why the man gets arrested.

In the end, it's worth it. Why? Because now Hunter's the one doing the personal tutor sessions. Ha. Hunter - 1, Campbell - 0.

 


	6. Comfort (Niff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick hasn't been feeling all that great about himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Triggers - Body image issues, self-loathing.

****

_"Hey Duval! When was the last time you went to gym? It looks like you've put on some weight."_

_"Sorry, Nick. If you want to be on the soccer team, you need to lose some weight. Competition's steep this year, and I need all of my athletes healthy."_

_"Getting kind of chubby there, Nick. Maybe you should start working out more often."_

Nick's never been one to let what other people say affect him, but their words have hit too close to home for comfort. Ever since he found out he's ten pounds overweight, he's been self-conscious about his weight. Suddenly, he's not comfortably in his own skin anymore. He starts working out more, often spending two to three hours a day at the gym. He stops eating as much because, according to some website he found, he's eating way more than he should. But it's okay because he doesn't feel as fat anymore.

Today isn't one of those days though. Nick feels terrible, ten times worse than he normally he does. So, he decides to curl up underneath the covers and stay in bed all day. When Jeff asks him if he's okay, Nick lies through his teeth and tells him he's caught a cold. After deeming his response acceptable, Jeff presses a kiss to his cheek and goes to class.

Nick doesn't see Jeff again until lunch. He's fast asleep when his boyfriend comes barreling into the room, effectively waking him from his nap.

"Hey sleepy," says Jeff cheerily. "You plan on waking up anytime soon? I brought pizza!"

Just the mention of pizza makes Nick feel sick. He lets out a groan and burrows deeper underneath the covers. Hopefully, Jeff'll take a hint and leave him alone. 

"This is getting ridiculous." The bed dips as Jeff sits at the edge of the bed. "What's going on, Nick? You're acting weird, and it's starting to scare me." 

Nick wants to tell him, but his pride doesn't let him. He's embarrassed of how he feels. He doesn't want Jeff to see how far he's fallen. Doesn't want him to know that he has to work out at least three hours a day to feel good about himself. 

"Please, Nicky." Jeff sounds close to tears. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" He strokes Nick's cheek with a trembling hand. "What's going on?"

Nick's never hated himself more than he does right now. He's made Jeff cry. He resurfaces from underneath the pillows and blankets to pull his boyfriend into his arms. Almost immediately, Jeff buries his face in the crook of Nick's neck and cries.

"Please don't cry," Nick murmurs. "You know how much I hate it when you're upset."

Jeff looks up at him through his tears, "I'm just worried about you, Nick. You never talk to me anymore. It feels like we're drifting further and further apart, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Please tell me what's wrong; I promise I'll do whatever I can to fix it."

"I've been gaining a lot of weight lately, and people are starting to notice. Last week, a couple of guys on the soccer team called me out on it.....and it bothered me. To make it worse, Coach said I need to lose ten pounds to make the team. Wouldn't accept anything but the best, he said."

"I hate feeling like this, Jeff. I hate feeling fat all the time. I'm tired of looking in the mirror every day and being disgusted with myself. I'm tired of hearing people tell me that I need to lose weight. I just want it to stop. I want to stop hating myself." Nick's voice falters, and his gaze drops to the floor. He can't bear looking his boyfriend in the eye; he doesn't want to see the revulsion that's bound to be there. He doesn't blame him; he's disgusted with himself too.

"Oh Nick," Jeff murmurs. "What are you doing to yourself? You don't need to lose weight; you're perfect the way you are. Don't listen to them; they don't know what they're talking about."

"B-but what about soccer? Coach Henricks said he won't let me on the team until I lose ten pounds."

"Tell me this, Nick. Is Coach Henricks a doctor?"

"No."

"Does he have a medical degree?"

"No."

"Then who is he to tell you how much you should or shouldn't weigh? Unless you are dangerously overweight to the point of risking health issues, then he has no right to tell you that. Who cares what he - or anyone, really - thinks? All that matters is that you're comfortable in your own skin; what other people think doesn't matter. Remember that, alright?"

"Thanks Jeff. I needed that."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. I hate seeing you this upset. I love you, Nick." _  
_

"Love you too."

 


	7. Marshmallow (Thes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warblers go camping.

****

"This is beyond stupid," Thad grumbles to himself. "Who's idea was this anyway? It's thirty degrees out here; I'm freezing my ass off!" He glowers resolutely at the fire, watching as dark tendrils of smoke crept into the night. "I hate the wilderness."

Wes rolls his eyes, "Don't be a bitch. One night in the great outdoors won't kill you."

"Says you. What do you know? I'm allergic to bug bites; if too many mosquitos get me, I could die!" he shoots back, scratching absently at a bite on his arm. "See! I already have one!"

"Well, maybe if you put on some bug repellent, you wouldn't have that problem."

"I already did," Thad reaches over his boyfriend to grab a marshmallow.  "It doesn't work." He stabs a stick through its center, with a tad more force than necessary. 

"Why do you hate camping so much anyway?" asks Wes curiously. "A night under the stars, campfires, s'mores - what's not to like?"

"One, there isn't a single freakin' star out here in sight. Two, the smell of burning wood's giving me a headache - "

"Uh, Thad?"

"Shut up, I'm trying to make a point."

"Thad!"

"Don't get your panties in a twist. I'm almost done. Three, I can roasts marshmallows over an unscented candle. So, you know what you can do with camping? You can shove it up your ass."

"As  _fun_ as that sounds, we've got more important things to worry about right now."

"Like what?"

"Well, for starters, you should pay more attention to your marshmallow."

"What about the marshmallow?"

"It's on fire."

"HOLY CRAP! STOP, DROP, AND ROLL! STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!"

"If you were smart, you'd stop rolling around and blow it out like any other sane person."

"What's the fun in that? Here."

"DUDE! WHAT WAS THAT FOR? 

"Hey Wes? You've got some marshmallow on your face."

"SHUT UP, DAVID! NO ONE ASKED YOU!"

 

 


	8. Synthetic (Jeffbastian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeff looks ridiculous with red hair.

"What the hell?" Sebastian says as he gives his boyfriend an once-over. "You look like a Powerpuff girl."

Jeff rolls his eyes, unperturbed by the comment. He's long-since grown accustomed to Sebastian's bluntness; in fact, he's pretty much immune to it now. 

"That's what I'm aiming for," he replies, smiling sweetly. "I got the lead role in the musical."

"What musical would that be?" Sebastian snorts. "Rise of the Gingers?"

"Close, but no. We're doing Peter Pan," Jeff informs. "I'm playing Peter, so I get to wear a wig." He adjusts the synthetic red wig he's wearing. "Problem?"

"Not at all."

"Thought so."


	9. News (Wevid)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David hears some good news about his boyfriend.

David bursts into the choir room, ignoring the strange looks the Warblers give him. In his left hand, he's holding a rolled up magazine. He runs over to where Thad, Jeff, and Nick are sitting, a wide grin on his face.

"He did it!" he shouts, thrusting the magazine into Thad's hands. "He actually did it! Wes is going to be on Broadway!"

"Oh my God! Seriously?" Jeff snatches the playbill from his hands, staring wide-eyed at the cover. "What show is he in?"

"RENT! Just like he always wanted," David beams. "There's an article on page fifty-five."

" _Wesley Montgomery, recent graduate from Carnegie Mellon University, takes on the role of Steve & Others in the 2012 production of RENT...._..blah, blah, blah." Thad reads over Jeff's shoulder, doing his best to seem unimpressed. "I don't know why you guys are so surprised; I knew he was going to make it." _ **  
**_

"Sure, you did." Nick snorts. "Weren't you the one who said, 'there are tons of people who wants to be on Broadway. Wes is just one of the hundreds of thousands of people in the crowd'?"

"Of course not," he looks affronted. "What kind of friend do you take me for?"

"This is just so surreal! Can you believe it, David?" Jeff asks his friend. "All of Wes' hard work has finally paid off."

"I always knew he had it in him. Wes is one of those people who will stop at nothing - and I mean,  _nothing_  - to achieve his dreams. He knows what he wants and won't settle for anything less; he has confidence in his own abilities, and that's what I love most about him. I'm going to call him right now!"


	10. Table (Huntbastian)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter and Sebastian fool around - a lot.

** **

To say that Hunter and Sebastian have a bit of an exhibitionist streak would be an understatement. Thad's lost count of the number of times he's accidentally walked in on them: make outs in the courtyard, groping in the gym, a blowjob or three in the bathroom - it's happened way too many times to be considered a coincidence. It's one thing to walk in on your two best friends kissing; it's something completely different when you catch them doing the dirty. Thad loves Hunter and Sebastian to death, but he doesn't love them  _that much_.

He's not the only one; the Warblers also share his opinion. That's why they all decide to gather in the choir room for an emergency meeting, unknown to both of the upperclassmen. David sits at Hunter's usual spot at the council table, flanked by Jeff and Nick respectively.

"Exhibitionism is not something that should be taken lightly," begins David. "While it may not be your cup of tea, it's certainly Hunter and Sebastian's. That's why I've called this emergency meeting.

"As you all know, Warblers Clarington and Smythe have been together for almost a year and a half, as of April 13. Over the course of the past several months, they have become increasingly lenient as to when and where they.....for a lack of better word, fuck.

"I think we can all agree that this has gotten out of hand. It's only a matter of time before one of them - mostly likely Sebastian - decides to do something stupid and gets them caught by one of the staff. Not only that, it's starting to get helluva awkward to sit in the same room as either of them as it is. Like, how am I supposed to look you in the eye when I know you got your freak-a-deak in this very room? It's weird. We can't allow this behavior any longer. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to resolve this.....predicament?"

"We could stage an intervention," Trent offers, giving David a hopeful smile.

"Or we could just lock them in a closet until one of them inevitably kills the other," Thad calls from the back of the room.

"Can't we just go with Thad's idea?" Nick asks David with just the faintest trace of a whine in his voice. "An intervention sounds like so much work. Besides, if I can get Sebastian out of the way, I might actually have a chance of getting highest GPA in precalcus."

Jeff shoots him a disapproving look, reaching around David to slap his bicep lightly.

"Really, Nick? The only way you're going to get that award is if you earn it. I, for one, think that an intervention would probably warrant the best results. Locking Hunter and Sebastian in a closet wouldn't solve anything; between the two of them, I wouldn't be surprised if they figured out a way to escape and get back at all of us."

"All in favor of an intervention?" David proposes, glancing around the room. One by one, the Warblers raise their hands in mutual agreement. "An intervention it is."

* * *

 

If you were to ask Hunter how he ended up on top of the table, he'd probably wouldn't be able to tell you. He can hardly think, not with Sebastian carrying on the way he is. His boyfriend is straddling his waist, mouth pressed firmly against Hunter's neck as he marks the pale skin. Slender fingers dance across his stomach, teasingly traveling downward to play with the hem of Hunter's gym shorts before returning to his abdomen.

"You.....are such a tease," Hunter breathes softly. "Hurry up, would you?"

"Don't tell me what to do," Sebastian growls, his voice thick with need. "I call the shots tonight, Clarington." He punctuates the sentence with a particularly harsh bite to his collarbone. "You  _do not_  want to test me."

"What if I do?" Hunter gives him a cocky smile, lifting his brows suggestively.

"Oh, you have  _no_  idea what you're in for," he replies. "Just you wait." He smacks the sensitive flesh of Hunter's inner thigh as a warning, prompting a soft groan to fall from his boyfriend's lips.

But unfortunately for them, Sebastian doesn't get prove his point because the Warblers chose that minute to walk in. He watches with admittedly-perverse satisfaction as some of them, namely Jeff, Nick, and Trent, openly stare at them. Perverts, the whole lot of them. It's always the quiet ones.

"We'll finish this later," he says to Hunter, who's staring at him with flushed cheeks and dilated eyes - dammit, what the hell is so important that they had go and interrupt them? It's not often that he gets to boss his boyfriend around, and he'd like to make the most of it, thank you very much.

Sebastian calmly slides off of the table and offers Hunter a hand, knowing that he's too disoriented to pull himself up. It usually takes a couple of minutes for him to come back to senses during times like this, and Sebastian silently reveals at the fact that he's the reason why Hunter's such an incoherent mess. Of course, he knows that when Hunter does come back to his senses, he's going to be utterly mortified. Sebastian'll laugh; he always does.

"Can I help you?" he asks as he pulls his shirt over his head. "Because if you haven't noticed, which you have - I'm looking at you three -" Sebastian makes a point of looking at Jeff, Nick, and Trent. "- We were in the middle of something."

"Uh, yeah, about that." David reaches up to scratch the back of his neck. "We need to have a talk."

"About what? Enlighten me, Tom Collins," Sebastian says, helping Hunter back into his own shirt. "I'm listening."

"...I understood that reference," Thad burst into laughter. "Geddit? Because his boyfriend's Angel. No? Oh, you poor, deprived children. It's a Broadway thing; you wouldn't understand."

If David's fazed by the jibe, he does a good job of hiding it. He looks Sebastian in eye as he says,

"You guys get off on having sex in public; we get that, but this is starting to get out of hand. Over past couple of months, you and Hunter have grown increasingly more lenient about where you do the dirty and it's starting to make people feel uncomfortable. We don't want to see you guys practically  _devour_  each other's faces in the common room, nor do we want to hear questionable sounds coming from your dorm at unholy hours of the night.

"We  _especially_ don't want to hear, in detail, what goes on in bathroom. Some of us would actually like to use it for its intended purpose, y'know. Besides, that's just downright unsanitary."

"W-What?" Hunter sputters, having come to his senses (Damn, he's pretty when he blushes.  Maybe Sebastian should embarrass him more often). "I have  _no_ idea what you're talking about." _  
_

"Hunter," Jeff steps in. "We know you know what we're talking about. Spare us the excuses; don't waste your breath."

"I can think of some other things he could be wasting his breath on right now," Sebastian mutters under his breath.

" _Back_ to the matter at hand," David intervenes. "You guys need to stop sexing each other up where we can see you. It's weird."

"Are you done now?"

David turns around to the rest of the Warblers, "Did I cover everything?" After receiving their affirmation, he turns back to Hunter and Sebastian. "Yep.Take what I said into consideration, alright? We're going to go now. Carry on."

With that, the Warblers take their leave. Sebastian turns back to his boyfriend with a predatory smile, sending a shiver down Hunter's spine.

"You have one minute to take off your shirt and get back on the table. Ready? Set,  _go_."


	11. Screwdriver (Niff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a cute little ficlet wherein Jeff is putting together furniture and Nick doesn't know a single thing about hardware.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place shortly after Jeff and Nick move into together (maybe during college. My headcanon is that they both applied - and were accepted - to the same one).

 

 **Note -** Takes place shortly after Jeff and Nick move into together (maybe during college. My headcanon is that they both applied - and were accepted - to the same one). Just a cute little ficlet wherein Jeff is putting together furniture and Nick doesn't know a single thing about hardware.

Between the two of them, Jeff's definitely the handyman in the family. He knows his way around a hardware store; when you grow up in a family as large as his, you pick things up. He sits cross-legged in the middle of the living room, leafing through an instruction manual. Next to him are the disassembled pieces of the coffee table they've just bought.

Nick leans over his boyfriend's shoulder, peering at the instructional diagram with a childlike curiosity. He's never been very good at this sort of thing; all the parts and the pieces confuse him. Jeff absently turns his head to kiss his cheek before returning to the manual.

"Do you need any help, Jeff?" Nick asks. 

"Yeah, can you get me a phillips head screwdriver?" Jeff adjusts his plastic-framed glasses. "They're in the utility room. A big one, not one of those small ones."

Nick walks down the short hallway, opening the door at the end. He finds Jeff's toolbox tucked into the corner, half-hidden in all of their junk. 

"What kind of screwdriver was I supposed to get?" Nick blinks. "Crap, I can't remember."

He opens up the toolbox and grabs the first screwdriver he finds.  It's averaged-size, just what he's looking for. He shove it into his pocket and goes back to the living room. By now, Jeff's pretty much assembled most of the coffee table - except for the parts that need this particular screwdriver anyway.

"This is the one you wanted, right?" Nick hands Jeff the tool. 

"Nicky, this is a flathead. I need a phillips head," he shakes his head.

"Damn, so close."

"Well, at least you tried."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"Maybe I will."

" _Go ahead_ _."_


	12. Siblings and Doctor Who (Niff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick babysits Jeff's brothers, Cameron (five) and Michael (thirteen), while he runs some errands. Things happen when Mikey's obsession with Doctor Who leads to another argument entirely. Also, David Tennant is hero-worshipped.

You can see the Sterling family headcanon [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C7qYoBwSz9YY8ZjpX9A2B9oJhE_BTV8uaO3IeO5NvSs/edit).

* * *

"Ni- _ckkkkkk_!" Cameron whines, tugging on the hem of Nick's shirt. "Tell Mikey to be nice to me!" he shoots his older brother a dirty look. "He won't let me play my game."

"It's  _my_ laptop," Michael scowls, looking up from his laptop long enough to roll his eyes. "I'm not going to stop what I'm doing just because you  _want_  to play a  _game_." he spits out the word like it's poison. "I  _want_  a girlfriend, but you don't see me complaining."

Nick stifles the urge to bang his head against the wall; how does Jeff's mom do it? She puts up with this every day; the woman deserves an award. They've been fighting for almost an hour now.

"C'mon guys," Nick says with just the faintest hint of desperation in his voice. "Can't you just take turns?"

"What?" Mikey snorts, giving him an incredulous look. "I'm watching Doctor Who. No way in hell."'

"Oooh! He said a bad word!" Cam points an accusing finger at his brother. "I'm telling Jeff when he comes back."

Seriously, how does Ma Sterling get anything done? Nick can hardly hear himself think. He raises a hand to massage his temples, tries to remember where Jeff keeps his aspirin.

" _Ow_! Get off me, brat!" A strangled shout from Mikey shakes him from his thoughts. Cam's wrapped himself around one of his brother's legs, smacking his arm with his fist. " _Nick_! Tell him to let me go!"

"Not until you let me play my game!" Cam declares, tightening his hold on Mikey's leg. 

"Michael - " Nick sighs. "Can't you let him play for ten minutes?"

"No, I can't. I  _just_ started Voyage of the Damned!" he whines, running a hand through his dark curls. "You're the babysitter. Can't you do something to keep him occupied?"

"But I wanna play my game!"

"Apparently not. C'mon, Doctor Who will still be there when you come back."

"You don't know that. The website might crash; someone might delete the video files. Life is short, and Doctor Who is amazing. Go away," Mikey waves him off.

Before Cam has the time to make another protest, he's distracted by the sound of the front door opening. The five year old hurtles out of the den, leaving Nick trudging tiredly after him. Thank goodness Jeff's back; he's not sure how much more of that he could take. Nick finds Cam in the kitchen, held comfortably in Jeff's arms.

"Hey Nick," Jeff greets cheerfully, propping his little brother against his hip. "How were they? Didn't give you too much trouble, I hope."

Nick blinks slowly, "It was alright, I guess. They fought over Michael's laptop for almost an hour though."

"Let me guess," he says. "Cam wanted to play his game, but Mikey wouldn't let him because he was watching Doctor Who?"

"Pretty much. That was so accurate that it's creepy."

"Yeah well, Mikey's very passionate about Doctor Who. Especially Tenth Doctor; he really loves David Tennant. Mikey practically hero-worships the man."

"What's wrong with that? Lots of people hero-worship David Tennant."

"Why? Does Nicky have a crush?" 

".....Maybe."

"But you love me more, right?"

"......Yeah, of course I do."

"Oh my God! You love David Tennant more than you love me," Jeff gasps.

"I never said that!" Nick protests. "I don't even  _know_  David Tennant - "

"LIES!" Mikey shouts from the den. "NO ONE LOVES DAVID TENNANT MORE THAN  _ME_!"

Cameron watches as the argument unfolds, "Who's David Tennant?"

 


	13. Toothbrush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domestic Thes.

Thad trudges into the bathroom, blinking the sleep from his eyes. It's six in the morning, and he needs to go to some BETA meeting. He reaches for the light switch, fumbling in the darkness. He flinches when the bright fluorescent lights turn on, muttering angrily to himself.

"Damn Wes and his damn fluorescent lights. He's trying to blind me, I swear. "

He starts brushing his teeth, still grumbling to himself. He's never been much of a morning person. What's so great about mornings? Mornings mean work and school. The only good thing about it was breakfast, and half the time he didn't even eat in the morning. So, yeah. Mornings suck.

"Thad, shut up. I'm trying to sleep." Something hits the bathroom door, probably one of Wes' pillows. "It's five in morning; it's way too early for all of your whining. Christ."

Thad rolls his eyes and finishes the rest of his morning routine.

* * *

Wes gets out of bed an hour and a half later. Squinting through the thick lenses of his prescription glasses, he looks at the clock. 7:45, it reads. That's just fantastic; he has fifteen minutes to get ready before clases start. He rolls - well, falls really - out of bed and gets changed. Then, he goes to the bathroom and reaches for his toothbrush.

"You've got to be kidding me," he groans. "Thad used the wrong toothbrush. That's just fantastic."

* * *

Wes doesn't see Thad again until the school day's over. They're sitting in their dorm, sitting in mutual silence. 

"You used the wrong toothbrush this morning," Wes says. "Do you have any idea how unsanitary that is?"

"And your point is?" Thad raises a brow, obviously unimpressed. 

"That's nasty."

"I don't hear you complaining when we're making out."

".......True."

 


End file.
